In this blog post, using the movie “The Matrix” as a starting point, I’d like to reflect on the distinction between the virtual and real worlds, their essence, and the meaning of choice.

Choices in the Movie: The Red Pill and the Blue Pill

The movie “The Matrix” revolves around the central theme of the virtual world versus the real world. The protagonist, Neo, is presented with a symbolic choice between the red pill and the blue pill. If he takes the blue pill, he remains in the virtual world known as the Matrix and continues his daily life as before; if he takes the red pill, he shatters the illusion of the virtual world and awakens to “true” reality.
Neo ultimately chooses the red pill and steps into reality, driven by his mission to save humanity rather than settling for the virtual world. In contrast, Cypher betrays and kills his comrades to choose the comfort of the current virtual world. The choices made by these two characters go beyond mere differences in taste or preference; they reveal a fundamental difference in attitude regarding what is “actual” and what is “real.”

The Matrix Universe: Technology, Rebellion, and Human Energy

To briefly summarize the film’s setting, approximately 200 years in the future, AI created by humans is installed in robots, causing them to make autonomous decisions and move on their own, leading to conflict with humans. Eventually, the robots unite as a collective force and wage war against humanity.
Although humans resort to extreme measures to block solar energy, the robots discover a way to utilize human bioenergy as an alternative energy source. To imprison humans as energy producers, they connect their consciousness to a virtual world called the Matrix, making it impossible for them to distinguish it from reality. While people believe they are actually alive, their bioenergy is harvested.

If virtual and reality are indistinguishable, what would change?

If there were absolutely no difference between the virtual world and the real world—and we couldn’t even tell them apart through our senses—what choice would we make? Let’s approach this with an everyday analogy to make it easier to understand. In modern society, luxury goods remain highly popular, and capitalizing on that popularity, many “counterfeits” emerge that almost perfectly mimic their appearance.
If luxury goods and counterfeits were completely identical—with no difference in appearance, function, or sensory experience—why would we think we should choose the luxury goods? Ultimately, the label “luxury” is created by social consensus and individual perception. Just as calling one of two identical items a luxury good makes the other a counterfeit, the distinction between virtual and reality can also be defined by human perception and choice.

What Matters More Than Which World We Live In

From this perspective, what matters is not the mere fact of “being” in a particular world. Rather, it is more important how one feels within that world, what attitude one adopts, and how one behaves. In either case, history and civilization are created, and the meaning of life is formed through the experiences of individuals and communities.
Therefore, the author’s perspective is as follows. Rather than the act of choosing a specific world, the attitude of contemplating how to live in that world based on one’s own will and perception is closer to the essence of life. Regardless of which world one inhabits, human perception and behavior are what create the meaning of that world.

Is the world we live in truly reality?

Who can be certain that the world in which I am writing this right now is the real reality? Most of us believe this is reality and act accordingly, but we cannot rule out the possibility that, like in a movie, this world is a simulation created by a higher being. It could have been designed by a god-like absolute being, or it could be an environment created by a highly advanced alien civilization for observation and experimentation.
Nevertheless, we go about our lives and engage in various activities, perceiving what we do as “real.”

Even if this world is virtual, if the distinction between virtual and reality does not make a practical difference in our experiences and actions, then that distinction is not essential. What matters is how we feel and how we live our lives.

What Is Essence?: A Rebuttal to Criticisms of the Virtual World

Some essays argue that “essence” has meaning only in the real world, and that the virtual world is inherently empty because it operates on electrical signals and code. In other words, they claim that events in the virtual world lack meaning due to the absence of human presence.
The counterargument to this is as follows. First, the question remains: how can we truly distinguish “reality”? Since the world we believe to be real could also be another virtual world when viewed from a higher-level system, it is difficult to definitively assert that any world is absolutely “real.” Ultimately, the meaning of essence must inevitably vary depending on the perceptions of the people living in that world.
Therefore, even if one lives in a virtual world, if the experiences and actions there hold meaning for people, that essence does not fade. The meaning created by human existence and behavior can be maintained regardless of the physical composition of the environment, and the concept of essence can be applied equally in any world.

Relativity, Respect, and Individual Practice

Ultimately, virtual and reality should be understood within a relative framework rather than judged by an absolute standard. People living in the real world may view those in the virtual world as “fake,” while, conversely, those living in the virtual world will consider themselves to be in reality. There is no objective or absolute superiority between the two.
Therefore, we need an attitude that respects the individual choices of those who have chosen each world. Furthermore, if the two worlds coexist, it is more productive and meaningful to reflect on how faithfully one will live in the world they have chosen and what values they will practice.

Conclusion: Attitude Toward Life Comes Before the Distinction Between Worlds

In summary, the distinction between the virtual world and the real world may not be inherently that significant. What matters more is how one lives within a given environment and what attitude one adopts toward life. The judgment that “the real world is better than the virtual world” varies depending on context and perspective and is difficult to define in absolute terms.
Regardless of whether the world we live in now is real or virtual, doing our best in our respective circumstances, taking responsibility for our choices, and acting with integrity is likely the attitude that is closer to the essence of being human.